


The Hostage Princess

by geri_chan



Category: Gou (TV), Japanese Drama, Toshiie to Matsu | Toshiie and Matsu (TV)
Genre: Family, Friendship, Gen, Sengoku Era
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-20
Updated: 2019-04-20
Packaged: 2020-01-20 18:43:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 11,175
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18530905
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/geri_chan/pseuds/geri_chan
Summary: When the Maeda family must send a hostage to Shibata Katsuie, Maa learns a startling secret about her past. Meanwhile, Princess Gou and her sisters must adjust to a new home and stepfather when their mother marries Katsuie in a political alliance.





	1. Hostage

**Author's Note:**

> This is a crossover between the two NHK taiga dramas _Toshiie to Matsu_ and _Gou_. I knew from _Toshiie to Matsu_ that Maa was a hostage at Kitanosho, and I was disappointed when she didn't appear as a character in _Gou_. So for this year's Be The First challenge, I decided to write about Maa meeting Gou and her sisters.

Maeda Maa had always felt loved and cherished by her family. Her father Toshiie was a vassal to Oda Nobunaga, and she had always admired him as a brave and dashing warrior. He was often away on the battlefield, but when he was home, he doted on his children. Sometimes he was a little hotheaded and prone to acting without thinking, as Maa's mother Matsu often said with varying degrees of affection and exasperation. But that was all right, because Matsu was calm, practical, and cheerful--a supportive and steadying influence to balance out Toshiie's headstrong nature.

Maa also had several siblings, and while they quarreled from time to time as most siblings did, she loved them and knew that they loved her. 

So although they lived in a time of war, Maa's life was mostly peaceful and content. She worried, of course, when her father went off to battle, but she had faith in his strength and bravery, and he had always come home safely.

Things had been chaotic after Lord Nobunaga's death, and now Toshiie and his friend Hideyoshi were at odds over the way the latter had usurped control over the Oda clan. But as always, Matsu was there to provide reassurance that everything would work out in the end.

"Your father would probably deny it if you asked him about it right now," Matsu said. "But they love each other like brothers and no matter how much they fight, they always make up in the end."

"They used to compete against each other, but they were both serving Lord Nobunaga," Maa said doubtfully. "This time they are on opposite sides."

"Your father will do what he believes is right," Matsu said serenely. "The same as Hideyoshi is doing what _he_ believes is right. It may bring them into conflict now, but regardless of how things turn out, I believe they will make up in the end as they always do."

She spoke with such certainty that Maa believed it--she had to. It would be too sad to think that Father and Uncle Hideyoshi would be enemies forever, or that Mother and Aunt O-ne could no longer be friends because their husbands were at odds. She did not know how the conflict could be resolved, but she decided to have faith in her parents and trust that they would be able to make things right.

That faith was shaken the day that Toshiie came home with the news that Shibata Katsuie had asked for a hostage from the Maeda clan.

***

The day had started off innocently enough. Maa had gotten into a silly argument with her father over wearing makeup. Aunt Tsune had given her some rouge to try on, and when she'd proudly gone to show it off to her parents, Father had curtly said she was too young for such things and to take it off. Hurt and angry, Maa ran out of the room but paused outside the door, trying to calm herself down.

She knew that her father loved her and was just being overprotective, as much as it infuriated her to be treated like a child. No doubt her mother would gently chide him and remind him that his little girl was growing up. Maa decided that when he apologized, she would would show her maturity by magnanimously forgiving him

"I'm sorry," Tsune said, although she didn't sound particularly apologetic. And indeed, a moment later she added, "But you know, it isn't too soon for her to be wearing rouge. She's growing up into a young woman and she wants to look pretty. You really don't understand women at all."

"Oh, be quiet," Toshiie snapped. Maa noticed with satisfaction that he couldn't come up with a better argument to refute her.

"Very well, then," Tsune replied, and abruptly changed the subject. "I hear that Katsuie has asked for a hostage."

His petulance gone now, Toshiie spoke in a more serious tone. "He's concerned about our close ties with Hideyoshi, and the fact that he and O-ne adopted our daughter Gou. He has asked me to send a hostage to prove my loyalty."

Maa forgot about her hurt feelings as she took in this new information. Her father served under the command of Shibata Katsuie, who was opposed to Hideyoshi. Toshiie had always been on good terms with Katsuie, so she was surprised to hear that he was demanding a hostage. In hindsight, she supposed it was a practical request, but it was difficult to be objective about it, knowing that she or one of her sisters were the most likely candidates.

"Why don't you send Maa?" Tsune suggested.

"But she is Yoshiyuki's child," Toshiie objected, stunning and confusing Maa. She knew that her uncle Yoshiyuki had died in combat when she was a baby, but she was too young to remember him. Could it be that she was actually his child? But why had her parents never told her that she was adopted?

"Exactly," Tsune said. "She is the child that he rescued from Mount Hiei. Isn't it better to send Maa than one of your real daughters?"

Maa gasped and stumbled into the room in a state of shock. Her parents and aunt looked up at her in surprise and guilt.

"First you gave away Gou," she shouted, her eyes filling with tears. "Are you going to send me away too now?"

"Maa!" Toshiie shouted. Maa ran to her room, slamming the sliding doors shut--practically in her father's face as he hurried after her.

"Maa," Toshiie called out. "Open up and let me see you. I'm sorry about before. It's just that I was surprised. You looked very pretty."

Did he really think that was what she was upset about, Maa thought incredulously. She didn't even care about the makeup anymore! She wanted to know whose child she really was and why her parents had lied to her for all these years.

"Maa," Matsu said in a gentle and concerned voice that only made Maa cry harder. Part of her wanted to run into her mother's arms for comfort, while another part of her wondered if that motherly concern had been a lie all along. Maybe she was only a convenient tool who had been raised as a spare for a case such as this. After all, it wasn't uncommon for samurai families to send hostages to ensure the peace between them.

"I hate both of you!" Maa shouted.

"You can't say that you hate your mother and father," Toshiie shouted back.

"Enough," Matsu said. "Leave her be for now."

Maa had wanted to be left alone, but felt contrarily offended when they did. Shouldn't they have tried harder to explain themselves, to assure her that they loved her?

She sank down onto the floor and wept until her eyes were sore and she was too exhausted to cry anymore. And then she began thinking about her parents and her childhood. 

She remembered being held tenderly in her mother's arms as Matsu sang her a lullaby when she was a little girl. She remembered laughing gleefully as her father carried her on his shoulders. She remembered being sick with a fever, lying on her futon as her mother wiped her flushed face with a cool, damp cloth, and how her father had sat by her side looking fierce and protective, as if he were ready to take up arms and do battle against the illness. Of course a fever wasn't something that could be cut down by a sword, but it had comforted Maa nonetheless.

Those memories eased Maa's anger, if not her confusion. She was still hurt and upset, but she knew without a doubt that her parents loved her no matter where she had come from. She wiped the tears from her face and went to look for her parents, although she wasn't sure what she was going to say to them.

Maa found them in their private chambers, talking quietly. Since they seemed to be deep in conversation--and because she was still a little reluctant to confront them--she paused outside the door to listen for a moment.

"I still remember the day that Yoshiyuki brought Maa home," Matsu reminisced in a nostalgic tone. "He was still in his armor, covered in soot, and he was very carefully cradling a baby in his arms."

"Yoshiyuki was always kindhearted," Toshiie said in a voice filled with sorrow and affection. "Lord Nobunaga had ordered that no one should be allowed to escape Mount Hiei alive. But when he saw that innocent baby, he couldn't let her die in the flames, and I can't blame him, even if he was defying orders."

Maa was too young to remember the attack on Mount Hiei, of course, but she had heard her family and her father's men talking about it. Nobunaga had been a great lord, one who had earned her father's loyalty and devotion, but he had also been ruthless when he was angered, and Yoshiyuki would probably have been executed or ordered to commit seppuku for rescuing the baby...for rescuing Maa. And her parents might have been punished as well, if Nobunaga had found out that they aided him after the fact. 

All three of them had risked their lives to save her, Maa realized, stunned in a completely different way than before.

Meanwhile, Matsu was saying, "It was Yoshiyuki who brought her down from Mount Hiei, but as soon as he placed her in my arms, I knew that she belonged to me." Her voice sharpened and she added pointedly, "At least, that's how _I_ felt."

"Why are you angry with me?" Toshiie asked, sounding puzzled. 

"You said that Maa was Yoshiyuki's child," Matsu said indignantly. "But I am her mother! And you are her father."

"Oh," Toshiie said, in a tone of dawning comprehension. And then Maa's proud, hotheaded father said in a surprisingly meek and humble voice, "I'm sorry, Matsu. You were right and I was wrong. Maa is my daughter."

Maa quietly tiptoed back to her room to think things over. She had not been a pawn or a substitute after all. Her parents loved her as much as she'd always thought they had--maybe even more. 

They could have killed her instead of taking her in, but on the other hand, her father wouldn't have had the heart to murder a baby in cold blood, and her mother would never have allowed it even if he had. But if they had simply wanted to be merciful, they could have given her away to be raised in quiet anonymity. She could have been placed with a family in the local village, passed off--truthfully--as a child orphaned by war. Or perhaps they could have given her to a trusted servant who would be willing to raise her as their own and never reveal the secret of her origin. 

But instead they had kept Maa, and raised her and loved her as their daughter, treating her no differently than the children who shared their blood. 

Tears stung Maa's eyes again, but this time they were tears of love and gratitude. She knew now what she had to do. She would offer herself as the hostage, not begrudgingly as a substitute, but proudly as a daughter of the Maeda clan, to protect her family and to repay them for the love and care they had given her. 

She washed her face and composed herself, and once more went to seek out her parents. 

Her father was gathered around the hearth with his chief vassals and Uncle Toshihisa and Aunt Tsune, discussing the situation with Hideyoshi and Katsuie. Her mother sat nearby, holding Maa's younger sister Chise in her arms.

"Let me take care of Chise, Mother," Maa said. Matsu looked up at her apprehensively, then seemed relieved when Maa smiled at her as if nothing had happened.

"Thank you, Maa, that would be a big help," Matsu said, handing the baby over.

Maa gently rocked her sister in her arms, quietly singing a lullaby to her. Her father cast a worried glance in her direction, but didn't break off his conversation with his men, who were venting their frustration over what they saw as Hideyoshi's arrogance and greed. Eventually the talk steered around to Katsuie's request for a hostage and whether Toshiie intended to comply with it, and if so, whom he would send.

After they had argued and debated for a few minutes, Maa handed Chise back to her mother, then walked over to her father, knelt down beside him, and said firmly, "Father, I will go to Kitanosho Castle."

"But she is the child that Yoshiyuki brought from Mt. Hiei," one of the vassals objected. "Is it really acceptable to send a hostage who isn't a true Maeda?"

Tears welled in Maa's eyes as she pleaded, "Am I not a daughter of the Maeda? Am I not _your_ daughter?"

Toshiie tenderly caressed her cheek and said a voice that was quiet but hoarse with emotion, "You are my daughter."

Maa wept with relief, saying, "If I am really your daughter, then please send me to Kitanosho as the hostage." 

"No," Toshiie sternly. "The winters are cold at Kitanosho, and you get sick easily. You are a child still--you're a picky eater, and you are spoiled and willful. Do you really understand what it means to be a hostage? Do you really think you can endure such hardships?"

"You don't really think I'm your daughter!" Maa sobbed, although she knew that her father was trying to protect her by keeping her at home. Still, she needed to do this to prove--to herself if no one else--that she was truly a Maeda daughter.

Toshiie, looked frustrated and helpless, opened his mouth to argue further but Matsu interrupted him. In a gentle but firm voice, she said, "Maa, please go to Kitanosho as the hostage."

"I will," Maa said, smiling proudly through her tears. "Because I am a true Maeda daughter."

Her mother pulled Maa into her arms, holding her tightly as they both wept, Toshiie's vassals turned away and pretended not to notice as he shed a few tears himself. 

***

As the time drew near for Maa to travel to Kitanosho, her mother helped her to pack her belongings.

"You know that your father loves you," Matsu said as she carefully folded a kimono. "He has always regarded you as his daughter, just as I have. If he didn't, it would have been much easier for him to send you away as the hostage."

"I know that, Mother," Maa said with a smile. "But if I didn't make a big fuss about it, Father wouldn't have agreed to send me."

Matsu set aside the kimono and took Maa's hands in hers, saying, "You have nothing to prove to us, or anyone else. You don't have to sacrifice yourself to prove that you're a true Maeda."

"I'm not doing it to prove anything," Maa replied. Well, originally she had wanted to prove that she was truly Toshiie's and Matsu's daughter, but now she felt assured that they loved her as much as their other children.

"I want to do this," Maa continued. "If I don't go, you'll still have to send someone else as the hostage, right? Whom would you send in my place? Little Chise, or perhaps Yome? I want to protect this family, and my sisters!"

Matsu sighed in resignation. "I don't want to give up any of my children, but you're right, someone must go. I wish that I could take your place."

"Your place is here, by Father's side," Maa said firmly. "He will need you to oversee the domain when he is away at battle."

Matsu gently cradled Maa's face in her hands, her eyes shining with love and pride and a glimmer of tears. "Your father called you a spoiled, willful child, and perhaps not so long ago he would have been right. But you have matured into a fine young woman. I trust you to go to Kitanosho and uphold the honor of the Maeda family."

"Yes, Mother!" Maa said proudly, blinking back tears herself.

Then Matsu smiled with more cheer, that was only slightly forced. "You are going as a hostage, but don't be afraid. Gonroku has long been a friend of your father's," she said, referring to Katsuie by his nickname. "And your uncle Yoshiyuki was in service to Lady Oichi. I am sure that they will treat you kindly. Lady Oichi has three daughters who are close to you in age, so you won't be lonely: the princesses Chacha, Hatsu, and Gou."

"Gou?" Maa asked. "Like our Gou?" 

She wished she could take back her careless comment when a look of sadness crossed Matsu's face. Her mother had always regretted giving up her daughter, even though O-ne and Hideyoshi had longed for a child of their own. But then Matsu smiled and said, "Yes, and she is about the same age, too. I saw her only once, when she was a baby, but I hear that she is spirited and headstrong like our Gou, too."

"I look forward to meeting them," Maa said, and they continued packing. After a few minutes of silence, she asked, "Mother?"

"Yes, Maa?"

"I am sure that everything will be as you say, and that Sir Katsuie and Lady Oichi will take good care of me," Maa said. She took a deep breath, then steeled her resolve and continued, "But just in case the situation changes, please tell Father not to worry about me and to do what is best for the Maeda clan."

"Maa!" Matsu exclaimed, aghast. "Please don't say such things! Your father will never let any harm come to you."

Maa lifted her chin and met her mother's gaze, determined not to back down. "Father goes off into battle, prepared to risk his life. I may be a woman, but I can do no less. I am willing to fight, in my own way, and lay down my life if I must."

Matsu looked torn between frustration and pride. "There is no doubt that you are your father's daughter," she said, brushing tears from her eyes. "You certainly have his stubbornness!"

"I don't mean to upset you, Mother," Maa said. "And I would certainly prefer to return home safe and sound. But..."

"You will do your duty," Matsu finished. "I understand. But I will pray that you are never forced to make that sacrifice, and that both you and your father return home safely." 

"So will I, Mother."

They finished packing--or Maa thought they had finished, when her mother said, "I have a farewell gift for you. I thought that you could use these, since we have established that you are a young woman now."

"Oh, Mother!" Maa exclaimed as Matsu handed her a small mirror set in a beautifully lacquered frame, a small pot of rouge, and a brush with which to apply it.

"Let me show you how to put it on properly," Matsu said, and Maa sat quietly while her mother painted the rouge on her lips, savoring this time alone together. She tried not to think about the possibility that she might not see her mother again for months, maybe years...if ever. 

When she was finished, Matsu held up the mirror for Maa to see the results. "I look pretty," she said with delight. 

"Indeed you do," Matsu said, smiling at her tenderly. "Shall we go show your father?"

They found him sitting on the veranda, staring off into the distance and looking pensive. He had been taciturn and gloomy ever since it had been decided that Maa would be the hostage.

Toshiie glanced up when Maa called out to him, saying, "Father, how do I look?"

He abruptly turned away, crossing his arms over his chest, and stubbornly refused to turn around even when Matsu said, "She looks beautiful."

"Father, look at me," Maa said, gently insistent as she walked around in front of him so that he couldn't avoid looking at her. His face was scrunched up in a vain effort to hold back the tears that were running down his face--it reminded Maa of her younger brother when he had been small and had been trying hard not to cry after he'd fallen and hurt himself while playing. It was rather sweet, and made her feel protective of her father, who ironically was crying because he wanted to protect her.

Matsu placed her hands on Toshiie's shoulders and said affectionately, "He's such a crybaby, isn't he?"

Maa began to weep too, as if it were contagious. Despite her earlier bravado, she was struck by a sudden sense of grief and loneliness at the thought of leaving her parents. She did not regret volunteering to become the hostage, but now she understood why her father had scolded her for taking it lightly and not really understanding what it meant to be a hostage.

"Maa," Toshiie said, reaching out to caress her tear-streaked face as he continued to cry himself. Then he pulled her into a tight embrace, and she felt like a little girl again, feeling safe and secure in the warmth of her father's arms.


	2. The Princesses of Kitanosho

Gou's father, Azai Nagamasa, had died when she was a baby, so she had no real memories of him. She had lived happily with her mother and sisters, and for the most part, did not miss what she'd never had, although she did feel a bit wistful sometimes when Chacha and Hatsu reminisced about Father.

She had admired and loved her uncle Nobunaga, even though he had caused her father's death. But now he was gone too, after being betrayed by Akechi Mitsuhide. Sometimes it seemed like war and death followed her family no matter where they went.

And now they were going to Kitanosho Castle, where Mother's new husband lived. Oichi's nephew Nobukatsu had arranged for her to marry Shibata Katsuie in order to strengthen the Oda clan and gain an ally against Hideyoshi.

Gou didn't like Hideyoshi, whom she always thought of by his nickname of Saru, which suited him as the crude, greedy monkey that he was. But she had never met Sir Shibata, and she felt both nervous and excited about meeting her new stepfather. He had been Nobunaga's loyal vassal, Mother had said, and Gou hoped that he was someone that she could admire the way that she had Uncle.

On the other hand, it was a political marriage, so maybe he would't have much interest in three young stepdaughters, particularly ones who were the daughters of an enemy. 

Sensing her nervousness, Oichi assured her, "There is nothing to worry about. Sir Katsuie is a good and honorable man."

"I wasn't worried," Gou lied, and attempted to look more cheerful.

When they finally arrived at Kitanosho and met Katsuie, Gou looked at him curiously while trying not to be obvious about it. He certainly looked like a warrior, with a burly build and a stern demeanor.

"Welcome to Kitanosho, Lady Oichi," Katsuie said with respectful deference, perhaps a little more than one would normally expect. Gou supposed that was because Mother was his late lord's sister.

"And I welcome the young princesses as well," Katsuie added with a smile that softened the sternness.

"These are my daughters: Chacha, Hatsu, and Gou," Oichi said, and the girls bowed and greeted him politely. 

"You must be tired after your journey," Katsuie said. "I have arranged some refreshments for you, if you would like."

Hatsu immediately perked up at the word "refreshments" and eagerly said, "I would like that very much!"

"Hatsu!" Chacha hissed reprovingly.

Katsuie burst into laughter--a warm sound, not mocking--and his eyes twinkled mischievously. "I have heard from Lady Oichi that Princess Hatsu loves sweets," he said, and Hatsu smiled sheepishly. 

"A little too much, perhaps," Oichi said, although she smiled at Hatsu with amusement.

"Well, I like them, too," Katsuie declared. "So if the princesses will have some, that gives me an excuse to have some, too."

Servants brought in tea and trays of sweet rice cakes--all their favorite varieties, Gou noticed. She also noticed that despite his claim about liking sweets, Katsuie ate only one, but he seemed to take pleasure in watching the girls enjoy their own sweets, which were delicious. Hatsu in particular ate with gusto, stuffing herself with so many sweets that Chacha leaned over and scolded in a hushed voice, "Show some restraint! You're eating like you're starving!"

Katsuie overheard her, but just chuckled good-naturedly. "There's no need to hold back--please eat your fill, Princesses. It would be a shame to have these sweets go to waste, after all."

Hatsu smiled smugly at Chacha and popped another cake in her mouth. Chacha just sighed and shook her head as Oichi and Katsuie exchanged smiles. 

Gou munched on her own cake thoughtfully. Katsuie had been more than just courteous--he had gone out of his way to be kind and to make them feel welcome. 

"Is everything all right, Princess Gou?" Katsuie asked. "Are the sweets to your liking?"

Gou snapped out of her reverie and said hastily, "Oh yes, they're very good! I was just thinking that you've been very kind to us, and I wanted to thank you..." Her voice trailed off as she realized that she wasn't sure how to address him.

"Gou?" Oichi asked with a look of concern.

"I'm sorry," Gou said to Katsuie. "But I'm not sure what to call you...Sir Katsuie, as Mother does? Or should I call you...Father?" The word felt a little odd on her tongue, but it didn't really feel wrong, either.

Katsuie looked surprised, but also pleased and touched. "I would be honored to have you call me Father, Princess Gou."

Oichi also looked startled, staring at Gou as if she had just said something wise. "Gou has just reminded me that we are family now. You should simply call me by name, and the same goes for our daughters--there is no need for formalities like 'Lady' or 'Princess'."

"Yes, Lady--" Katsuie started to reply, then laughed as he caught himself. "This will take some getting used to, but you are right...Oichi."

The two of them smiled at each other, a little hesitantly, but with a warmth that made them truly look like husband and wife. Gou felt both relieved and delighted to think that they might all actually become a real family together.

Chacha and Hatsu looked less comfortable with the idea, probably because they had memories of Father when Gou did not. Katsuie noticed and said kindly, "I am sure this is strange for you, too. We can all take our time getting to know each other. But it was my intention from the start to protect and care for the three of you as if you were my own daughters."

As always, Chacha was the responsible and dutiful one. She bowed respectfully and said, "Then we shall endeavor to be good daughters to you, Father." After a moment of hesitation, Hatsu bowed as well, and so did Gou.

Later, when the sisters were alone they discussed their new stepfather.

"It's strange, calling someone else Father," Hatsu said. "But he seems nice."

"That's because he fed you sweets," Chacha said, sounding as if she were only half-joking.

"It's not just that," Gou said, although she privately agreed that Chacha was probably right. If Katsuie had wanted to win them over, he had proven to be a shrewd strategist because food was the surest way to win Hatsu's favor. 

"He took the time to talk to Mother about us and find out what we would like," Gou continued. "I think that shows how considerate he is."

"Exactly!" Hatsu agreed. 

Chacha still gave her a skeptical look, and Gou asked, "Don't you like him?"

"He seems to be a good man, as Mother said," Chacha conceded. "And it was kind of him to prepare the sweets. I guess it's difficult to call someone else Father, but I do like him." Then she smiled at Gou. "You missed out on having a father, so if Sir Katsuie can be a good father to you, then I will be happy."

*** 

Gou settled into life at Kitanosho. Katsuie was busy overseeing his domain and his soldiers, but when he had free time, he would spend it with his wife and stepdaughters. Gou enjoyed those times that they spent together as a family, and Katsuie seemed to enjoy it too. 

"It was rather lonely here before, but now the castle is brightened by the presence of four lovely ladies," Katsuie said gallantly.

"Was Father always such a smooth talker, Mother?" Gou asked, grinning.

Oichi smiled at Katsuie in amusement. "No, he was always straightforward and forthright."

"Well then, his compliments must be true!" Hatsu said, preening a little. "I don't find it odd that he would describe us as 'lovely'!"

Everyone laughed, and Gou noticed that Oichi and Katsuie gazed at each other fondly, even tenderly. She was not the only one who noticed, because later when they were alone, Hatsu said in a hushed, conspiratorial voice, "I overheard the maids talking."

"Hatsu, you should know better than to be spreading gossip around," Chacha scolded. 

"But it's about Mother and Sir Katsuie--I mean, Father," Hatsu protested. "They said that he was always in love with her and wanted to marry her, but Uncle Nobunaga needed an alliance with the Azai clan, so Mother married Father--our first father--instead. But now finally they're together--that's kind of romantic, don't you think?"

Gou frowned. She loved her new father, but on the other hand... "If Mother had married Sir Katsuie instead of our father, then we'd never have been born. Or maybe we would have been born as Sir Katsuie's children? But would you still be you, and would I still be me if we had a different father?"

"You're so silly, Gou," Hatsu laughed. "Why are you worrying about being someone else? It's not like Sir Katsuie can go back in time to marry Mother before we were born!"

"I suppose you're right," Gou said, although it still troubled her a little that their lives could have been completely different if Nobunaga hadn't decided to marry Oichi into the Azai clan. Even though it had been a political marriage, Mother had loved Father deeply--at least, that was what Chacha and Hatsu had told her, since Gou didn't remember him. But would Mother have been equally happy if she had married Katsuie instead? And by accepting Katsuie as her father, was Gou being disloyal to her real father?

Her turmoil must have shown on her face because Chacha reached out to pat her hand gently and say with a smile, "Gou, you're overthinking things. Nothing we do can change the past. I miss Father, and I'm sure that Mother does, too. But I don't think that he would begrudge her finding happiness with Sir Katsuie--or us, for that matter. He sent Mother and us back to the Oda clan, after all. He wanted us to survive and be happy."

"Thank you, Sister," Gou said gratefully. "You always know what to say."

"Not always," Hatsu couldn't resist interjecting. "But she is right this time."

"Don't be a brat, Hatsu," Chacha said, but her voice was light and teasing rather than angry, and the three sisters laughed together.

***

One day Gou and her sisters were summoned to Katsuie's audience chamber. She knew that Katsuie received guests there, sometimes with Oichi by his side, but this was the first time that he had requested the girls' presence, and Gou was curious to see whoever was so important for them to meet.

She did not have to wait long. Katsuie and Oichi were already seated at the head of the room, and once the sisters took their seats, Katsuie announced, "I have someone I would like you to meet."

A pretty girl about Hatsu's age walked into the room, knelt down on the floor, and bowed respectfully towards Katsuie and Oichi. "I am Maa of the Maeda clan," she said.

"Welcome to Kitanosho," Katsuie said with a warm smile, and the girl straightened up. To Gou and her sisters, he said, "This is Princess Maa, daughter of Maeda Toshiie, one of the generals in my service. She will be staying with us for awhile, so please make her feel at home."

Oichi smiled kindly at Maa. "Your uncle Yoshiyuki was in my service, and I know your family well. I shall send word to your parents that you arrived safely and assure them that I will treat you as my own daughter while you are here."

"Thank you, my Lady," Maa said, bowing again.

"These are my daughters Chacha, Hatsu, and Gou," Oichi continued.

"We are very pleased to meet you," Chacha said politely, and Hatsu and Gou followed suit. 

After the usual pleasantries had been exchanged, Oichi suggested, "Why don't you show Princess Maa around the castle?"

"Yes, Mother," Gou said eagerly. She was happy living here at Kitanosho, but there were no children near her age--or her sisters' for that matter--and she was glad for the chance to make a new friend.

As they gave Maa a tour of the castle, Gou peppered her with questions: where was she from, did she have any brothers or sisters, did her uncle really know Mother? Maa patiently tried to answer them until Chacha finally interrupted in a gentle but firm voice, "Gou, that's enough. She can't keep up with you if you're asking another question before she's finished answering the previous one. And remember, she's a guest--we're supposed to be making her feel comfortable."

"I'm sorry," Gou said. "I was just so excited to meet you, Princess Maa!"

"I don't mind," Maa replied with a smile. "And I'm happy to meet you, too."

"Why don't we sit down and have some sweets, and Princess Maa can relax and tell us about herself in a more leisurely manner?" Hatsu asked.

"You just want to eat sweets," Chacha said dryly. "But that is a good idea."

"It's all right," Maa said with a mischievous smile. "I like sweets, too."

A little later, they were eating sweets while Maa talked about her home and her family. It turned out that she had five sisters and two brothers.

"I can't imagine having so many sisters!" Gou exclaimed.

"Neither can I," Hatsu teased. "One of you is quite enough!"

"Well, if there were five of you, there would be no sweets left in the entire castle," Gou retorted.

"Now, now, that's enough," Chacha said, trying to keep the teasing from blowing up into an argument as Hatsu looked like she was torn between laughter and anger. But then Maa burst into laughter, which eased the tension, and Hatsu and Gou laughed too.

"How long are you staying with us, Princess Maa?" Gou asked, and for some reason, everyone tensed up again. Hatsu froze with a sweet lifted halfway to her mouth, while Chacha seemed to be searching for the right words to say, which was odd because Gou was talking to Maa, not her.

Maa hesitated, then smiled and said, "I'm not exactly sure, but I think that I'll probably be here awhile. So please be good to me while I'm here."

"Of course," Gou said, still puzzled. "But...why are you staying here, and why don't you know how long you'll be visiting?"

"Gou!" Chacha snapped, as if she'd said something horribly rude. 

"I was just asking a question," Gou said, feeling a little hurt. 

"It's all right," Maa assured both of them. "I am here as a hostage," she continued in a very calm and matter-of-fact way.

"A hostage?!" Gou exclaimed.

Hatsu sighed loudly, as if Gou was being incredibly dense, while Chacha apologized to Maa, "I'm very sorry. She's young and doesn't understand these things."

"I know what a hostage is," Gou said indignantly. She was vaguely aware that Nobunaga had kept hostages, but had never met any of them and hadn't stopped to think about how they felt about it. "But Mother and Father spoke of the Maeda as if they were friends and allies, so why would Father want a hostage from them?"

Chacha started to scold Gou again, but Maa said, "I'm not offended. Actually, I like that Princess Gou is straightforward and speaks her mind."

"That's one way of putting it," Hatsu muttered, not quite under her breath.

Maa either didn't hear or pretended not to, and she continued with a smile, "She reminds me of my own little sister, Gou."

"Your sister is named 'Gou' too?" Gou asked.

"Yes," Maa replied. "In a way, she's part of the reason why I'm here as a hostage." Gou and the others looked confused, and Maa said, "Let me explain. My father and Hashiba Hideyoshi have been friends and rivals ever since they both entered Lord Nobunaga's service. And his wife O-ne is also a good friend of my mother, so I grew up thinking of them almost like family. Father and Uncle Hideyoshi fight a lot--I remember many arguments and shouting matches--but they always make up eventually. Mothers says they fight like brothers and love each other like brothers."

"I didn't know they were so close," Gou said. She could see how that might concern Katsuie, since Hideyoshi was his enemy. She wasn't sure what that had to do with the other Gou, though.

"Uncle Hideyoshi and Aunt O-ne couldn't have any children, so they begged my parents to let them adopt Gou when she was born. Mother agreed, though it broke her heart to give up her daughter." Maa smiled. "But Gou is happy living with them, and Uncle Hideyoshi in particular spoils her and dotes on her as if she were his own."

Gou frowned slightly. It was hard to think of Saru as a doting father, but then again, she had never seen him with his daughter. It was also hard to match up the Saru that she knew and disliked with the Uncle Hideyoshi that Maa clearly loved. 

"None of this really mattered while Lord Nobunaga was still alive," Maa continued. "They competed against each other to be promoted, and sometimes there was tension between them, but Father, Uncle Hideyoshi, and Sir Katsuie were all fighting on the same side."

"But now Father is opposed to Hideyoshi, and he wishes to ensure your father's loyalty," Chacha said solemnly, and Maa nodded.

"But that's not right," Gou argued, strangely feeling more upset about it than Maa seemed to be. "If your father is a loyal vassal, then it's wrong to threaten to kill his daughter!"

"Gou!" Chacha snapped. 

"I'm sure it's just a formality," Hatsu said nervously. "Besides, Mother said she would treat Princess Maa like a daughter, so I'm sure no harm will come to her."

"Please don't worry, Princess Gou," Maa said soothingly. "Think of it less as a threat and more of a way to strengthen ties between our families. Uncle Hideyoshi adopted a Maeda daughter into his family, so now Father is sending me to the Shibata clan as a way of showing how close the Maeda are to the Shibata. It's mostly symbolic."

"You see, Gou?" Hatsu said with relief. "There's nothing to worry about." 

"Of course Father won't hurt Princess Maa," Chacha said, but her assurance sounded a little forced, and Gou stared at her suspiciously before turning to Maa.

"Are you really not worried?" Gou asked. "You're not afraid to be here?"

"I am not afraid," Maa replied with a look of pride. "I am a samurai woman. I am glad to offer myself as a hostage if it will help my family." That worried Gou more rather than less, and Maa added in a gentler voice, "Besides, I trust my father. He will not turn against Sir Katsuie, so I am perfectly safe here." She reached out to lay her hand on top of Gou's, and said, "But thank you for being concerned about me, Princess Gou."

"Mother said that she would treat you like her own daughter while you are here," Gou said. "So that makes us sisters. And as a sister, you don't need to call me 'Princess'."

Maa smiled and said, "Then you and your sisters should just call me 'Maa' as well." She squeezed Gou's hand and said, "I'm happy to have you as a sister, Gou."

"So am I," Gou said. 

She still wasn't completely convinced that Maa's status as a hostage was as safe was everyone claimed, but she could see that there was no point in arguing further. She liked Maa very much even though they had only just met, and she privately resolved to protect her new "sister". Hopefully all would be well, and Maa would be able to return safely home once the conflict with Hideyoshi was resolved. But just in case something went wrong, Gou vowed that she would let no harm come to Maa, even if it meant shielding the other girl with her own body.

***

In spite of Gou's fears, life at the castle was peaceful for the girls. As she promised, Oichi treated Maa like a daughter, and Maa soon became fast friends with Gou, Hatsu, and Chacha. Gou liked hearing stories about Maa's family, and Maa was happy to talk about them, though she was a little wistful when she talked about her baby sister Chise.

"I would help watch her when Mother was busy, and sing her lullabies to keep her from fussing," Maa said. She smiled proudly. "Whenever she started to cry, Mother would give her to me, saying that my singing always soothed her." Her smiled turned a little sad when she said, "She must be growing so fast. I wonder how big she'll be when I see her again?"

Gou felt guilty then for being happy that Maa was staying with them. "I'm sorry," she said. "Chise must miss you. I hope you'll get to see her again soon."

"Oh, don't worry, Gou," Maa said, smiling more cheerfully now. "Chise will be all right with Mother and my sisters to look after her. I do miss her, but I'm also happy to have three new sisters here."

Gou worried that Maa was just trying to make her feel better, but she seemed sincere. Most of the time she seemed happy and said that she felt like it was a bit of an adventure being away from home. And Maa did admit to being a little homesick every now and then, so she hopefully that meant she was also being honest when she said that she was happy living with them at Kitanosho.

Whenever Maa said she was homesick, Hatsu would attempt to cheer her up with sweets, and Gou would say, "You just want an excuse to eat sweets!" However, this never failed to make Maa laugh, so Hatsu actually did cheer Maa up, whether or not that was really her intention.

Months passed by with no end to Maa's visit in sight. Katsuie didn't discuss it in detail with them, but Hideyoshi's influence continued to grow, which Gou knew concerned and frustrated him. 

In the meantime, Maa at least received letters from home, which cheered her up when she got homesick, and she would read them to Gou and her sisters. Soon Gou looked forward to hearing what the Maeda family was up to, and started to feel like she almost knew them though they had never met.

She eventually got to see Maa's father when Toshiie came to the castle to discuss strategy with Katsuie. He was a stern, handsome man who was younger than Katsuie, and he looked like the brave, noble warrior that Maa described in her stories. But she also saw his softer side when he came to visit with Maa briefly.

She threw her arms around him joyfully, and Toshiie said gruffly, "Here now, you should behave like a proper young lady, not a little hoyden." But his expression was tender as he embraced her, holding her fiercely for a long moment before letting her go. He looked relieved when Maa happily told him that she had become friends with Gou, Hatsu, and Chacha, and he said, "Thank you very much for looking after my daughter."

"Oh not at all," Gou said. "I'm so happy to have a new sister--I've grown a little bored with the old ones."

"Little brat," Hatsu grumbled, but without much heat, and Chacha just smiled. Maa laughed, and her father laughed too. 

"I can see that you're in good hands here, Maa," Toshiie said. "I'm glad that you've made such good friends."

Maa's mother also came to visit, about a year after Maa had come to Kitanosho. Matsu was a beautiful woman with a kind smile--though not quite as beautiful as her own mother, Gou privately thought. 

Their reunion was more restrained than Maa's reunion with her father, but no less heartfelt. Matsu kept her composure, but she had clearly missed her daughter and Gou thought she saw a glint of unshed tears in Matsu's eyes. 

"I'm fine, Mother," Maa assured her. "I'm having lots of fun with Chacha, Hatsu, and Gou."

"We're like sisters," Gou declared.

"I'm very glad to hear that," Matsu said, smiling at them, but Gou thought that she still seemed a little sad. Oichi had joined them since Matsu was an old friend, and Gou glanced over at her mother, wondering it would feel to be separated from her for a year. Even the thought of it made her heart ache, and Gou realized how much she would miss her mother and sisters--even Hatsu, who could be annoying at times.

 _Maa is very brave,_ Gou thought, watching as her foster sister talked cheerfully with her mother. 

They had a pleasant visit with Matsu, and Maa saw her off with a smile, but after her mother had left, she cried a little. 

Gou impulsively hugged her and said, "I'm sorry. I'd miss you if you were gone, but I wish that you could go back to your family."

Maa hugged Gou back, then pulled away and brushed the tears from her eyes. "I'm fine, really," she said. "They're mostly happy tears. I was just glad to see her after being away for so long."

Gou hugged her again and said, "Don't worry. I'm sure that our fathers will beat that stupid monkey soon, and then you can go home. But you must come and visit us sometimes!"

"I will," Maa said, and strangely, Gou felt like she was the one being comforted instead of the other way around.


	3. The Fall of Kitanosho

Katsuie went off to battle against Hideyoshi, and Maa noticed that the cheerful atmosphere in the women's quarters grew more tense. Oichi was outwardly serene, but Maa had watched her own mother try to hide her worries from her children often enough to recognize it in another.

And the normally cool and collected Chacha fretted, unable to concentrate on anything for any length of time, whether it was reading or practicing calligraphy or playing games with her sisters. She spent much of her time pacing restlessly, or staring out the window at nothing in particular. 

This in turn made Hatsu nervous, and she whispered to Maa, "I think this reminds her of the time when Father--our real father--was at war with the Oda."

Maa nodded sympathetically. She had only been a child herself at the time, but of course she knew that the battle had ended with the death of Azai Nagamasa. The girls had been in the castle until shortly before it fell, so it was no wonder this current conflict brought back bad memories for Chacha, and probably Hatsu too.

Only Gou, who was too young to have any memories of her father's death, remained confident, saying that surely Katsuie would be victorious in battle. Maa would smile and agree, but privately had her doubts. Hideyoshi was a brilliant general who had risen in rank from farmer to daimyō on the strength of his abilities, and he would not easily be defeated. She loved Hideyoshi like an uncle, but she had also come to care for Katsuie while living in his castle. Though she was a hostage, he treated her kindly like one of his daughters, and Maa didn't want to see either of them defeated, especially knowing that loser would probably lose his life along with the war. 

She wished that the two men could find a way to make peace with each other, but she knew that was unlikely. Since there was nothing she could do to change the outcome of the war, she tried to remain positive for the sakes of Chacha, Hatsu, and Gou, and did her best to comfort and cheer them up, as they had done for her when she had first arrived at Kitanosho. 

And finally, the worst happened: Katsuie rushed back to Kitanosho with Hideyoshi's army fast on his heels. He gathered Oichi and her daughters and Maa together in the top floor of the castle, and explained with surprising calm that his army had been defeated.

"I have returned home to say farewell to you, my wife and daughters," he said. He didn't seem bitter, but rather resigned to his fate and at peace with himself. "My men and I will go down with the castle. I will not surrender to Hideyoshi--I will burn Kitanosho to the ground rather than let him have it."

"Father," Gou said with tears in her eyes. They all knew that Katsuie intended to commit suicide and die an honorable warrior's death, and even a child as young as Gou knew that nothing would change his mind. 

"Oichi," Katsuie said, turning to his wife, "you must take the girls and flee the castle. Hideyoshi will not harm Lord Nobunaga's sister or nieces."

Before she could reply, one of Katsuie's soldiers rushed in, shouting, "Maeda Toshiie and his army are at the gates! They have joined with Hideyoshi!"

Although Maa had resolved to die for her family if she must, she still felt a sudden jolt of fear at his words. But she would not shame her family by crying or pleading for her life, and tried to keep her fear from showing on her face. If Katsuie wanted to take her life in exchange for her father's betrayal, then that was his right, and she would meet her fate proudly, as a Maeda woman should.

But Gou immediately moved in front of her, as if to physically shield her, as she cried out, "Father, I will not let you hurt Maa, no matter what her father has done!"

Maa nearly wept then, not out of fear, but because she was so moved by Gou's love and loyalty.

Instead of being angry, Katsuie laughed, a warm and hearty sound. "Ah, Gou, you are as fierce as any warrior!" he said, smiling fondly at her. "Fear not, it was always my intention that Princess Maa should escape with you and your mother and sisters." To Maa, he said, "Your father has not betrayed me. In fact, he held off Hideyoshi's forces so that I could make my escape to Kitanosho. Before we parted ways, I released him from his obligation to me, and told him to reconcile with Hideyoshi."

"Thank you, Sir Katsuie," Maa said, bowing low, as moved by his compassion as she was by Gou's.

"Quickly now," Katsuie said to Oichi. "You and the girls must leave. Toshiie will take you to safety."

Maa could already smell smoke and hear gunfire and the shouting of men fighting. The castle would fall, and soon. Her fear returned as she realized that if they didn't leave now, there was a good chance that she--and the others--would die, even if it wasn't by Katsuie's hand.

"The girls must go to safety," Oichi agreed. "But I will remain by your side until the end."

Katsuie looked startled and then moved, but he shook his head and said sternly, "No, you must go. I am honored by your loyalty, but you and the girls must survive."

Oichi's eyes filled with tears and said, "My place is by your side, Katsuie. I have already outlived one husband--will you make me suffer the shame of outliving another?"

"Mother, you must come with us," Gou said urgently, and Hatsu cried out, "Mother, please!"

Katsuie began to argue further with Oichi, but Chacha interrupted, keeping her voice level although there were tears in her eyes. "Father, I want more than anything for Mother to escape with us. But her wish is to remain by your side. Please don't deny her that."

"Sister, what are you saying?" Gou cried.

"I love you," Oichi told Katsuie, her expression tender and unafraid. "Let me stay with you."

Katsuie's eyes brimmed with tears too now, and he finally nodded in consent. "Very well. Let us meet our fate together. But the girls must escape."

Maa suddenly heard her father's voice in the not too far off distance shouting, "Maa! Lady Oichi!"

"It's Father!" she exclaimed.

"Good," Oichi said. "Girls, you must go with Maa and listen to her father. He will take you all to safety." She brought out a folded letter and handed it to Chacha. "Give this to Hideyoshi. It's a letter asking him to take care of you."

"Saru?" Gou exclaimed in horror. "You should come with us and take care of us yourself!"

"Don't make this harder on Mother," Chacha told her, although she had begun to weep herself. 

"I am sorry, Gou," Oichi said with tears in her eyes as well. "But it is my duty and my desire to remain with my husband until the end. I would have joined your father in death, but you were all so young that I agreed to live and return to the Oda with you as Nagamasa wished. I am sorry to leave you alone, but you three are older now, and you must take care of each other."

"I will look after Hatsu and Gou, Mother," Chacha promised. 

Toshiie's voice grew louder and the smell of smoke grew stronger. "You must go now," Katsuie said urgently. "We have been family for only a short time, but it gave me great joy to have you three as my daughters. For my sake and your mother's, please go to safety." 

Maa took Gou's hand, and with Chacha's help, had to drag her from the room while she wept and called out for her mother. Hatsu stumbled along with them, sobbing brokenheartedly.

The smoke was thick in the air and the girls coughed as they hurried down the stairs. Below, Maa saw soldiers wearing the Maeda crest making their way towards them.

"Maa!" Toshiie shouted.

"Father!" Maa cried out. She had enough presence of mind to urge the three princesses forward, and Toshiie quickly handed them over to his men, telling them to take the girls to safety. Once she saw that they were taken care of, Maa flung herself into her father's arms and burst into tears.

He held her tight for just a moment before pushing her away and asking, "Where is Lady Oichi?"

"She refused to leave Sir Katsuie," Maa wept. "She vowed to remain by his side until the end."

Toshiie shoved Maa towards the nearest soldier, a young man that she didn't recognize. "Get her to safety," he said curtly, then ran deeper into the castle, calling out Oichi's name.

"Father!" Maa shouted, terrified that he would be trapped in the flames. When she tried to follow, the young soldier took a firm hold on her arm and said, not unkindly, "We must go, Princess."

"But Father," she protested even as the soldier dragged her along, much the same way that she had dragged Gou away from her mother.

"The lord will not die so easily," the soldier said confidently. "But you must not distract him by putting yourself in danger, Princess."

So Maa allowed him to lead her from the castle and join Chacha, Hatsu, and Gou. The soldiers took them to Hideyoshi's encampment, and he rose from his chair when he saw them.

"Uncle Hideyoshi!" Maa said, relieved to see a familiar face.

"Maa, is that you?" Hideyoshi said, peering more closely. "Little Maa, only not so little now--you have grown up since I last saw you." He patted her on the head as if she were still a little girl, and said, "I am glad that you are safe." His gaze moved past her to the other three girls, who huddled together, the younger two still weeping while Chacha held them and stared back at Hideyoshi suspiciously. 

"And these must be the princesses," Hideyoshi said. "I can see the resemblance," he added, holding Chacha's gaze before moving on to her sisters. "And I remember young Princess Gou well." His expression grew worried when he saw that the girls were alone, and he asked, "Where is Lady Oichi?"

"She refused to leave Sir Katsuie," Maa replied. "Father went to look for her, but..."

Just then, Toshiie entered the tent. Hideyoshi opened his mouth to ask after Lady Oichi, but fell silent when the answer was apparent on Toshiie's face: he was weeping unabashedly, the tears cutting streaks through the soot covering his face.

"I was too late," he said. "She was already gone, along with Gonroku."

Hideyoshi began to weep too, and suddenly Gou flew into a rage and ran forward to beat her small fists against his armored chest. "How dare you!" she shouted. "You don't get to cry for Mother when it's your fault that she and Father are dead!"

One of Hideyoshi's men automatically moved forward, but Hideyoshi waved him off. "You are as fierce as ever, Princess Gou," he said in a gentle voice that seemed to confuse her. "You remind me so much of my late lord. Katsuie may have been my enemy, but I have always held Lady Oichi in high regard. I would never have harmed her, and I would gladly have given her shelter if she had come to me."

Hideyoshi's words seemed to have disarmed Gou. She had ceased her attack, and stared at him with mingled anger and bewilderment. Maa took that opportunity to take her arm and gently pull her away from Hideyoshi, and Gou did not resist.

Chacha stepped forward and held out the letter that Oichi had written. "My mother said to give this to you," she said, staring at Hideyoshi with an appraising look, as if he were not what she had expected.

Hideyoshi unfolded the letter and began reading it. "She asks me to look after the three of you and protect you, which of course I shall." His eyes suddenly widened as he scanned the rest of the letter, then coughed and said, "Well, that is the gist of it, that she wanted me to take care of you." 

He started to fold the letter up, but his reaction had provoked Toshiie's curiosity, and he leaned over Hideyoshi's shoulder to read it and let out a startled laugh. "She knows you all too well, Saru! She warns you not to lay a finger on Princess Chacha, or you will feel her wrath from beyond the grave."

"You had better not touch my sister, you lecherous monkey!" Gou shouted, her fiery spirit reignited.

"Of course I wouldn't!" Hideyoshi said indignantly, though Toshiie gave him a skeptical look. In a tone of wounded dignity, he added, "I shall treat them as if they were my own daughters."

"I don't want you for a father," Gou said sullenly, and Chacha quickly shushed her, though she looked as though she felt the same. Hatsu remained silent, seeming too overcome with grief to either accept or argue against being given into Hideyoshi's care. 

Hideyoshi turned to one of his retainers and said, "Take the girls to shelter and make them as comfortable as possible." To the girls, he said, "I'm sorry, but you'll have to remain in the camp for tonight, but I'll take you to my castle as soon as possible."

"I will look after the princesses," Maa whispered to her father, and he nodded and squeezed her shoulder, as if to say, "I know I can count on you," which filled her with warmth and pride.


	4. Epilogue

The days passed by in a blur for Gou. She bitterly missed her mother and stepfather, and Maa's attempts to comfort her did little to ease the pain, although she did appreciate the older girl's kindness. 

She was also confused by Hideyoshi's reaction: she had expected him to be smug in triumph, and she had been prepared to hate him for it. She hadn't expected him to weep for Oichi, and she hadn't expected him to treat them with gentle sympathy. How dare that stupid monkey be nice to them!

Maa listened sympathetically when she complained, but Gou saw her trying to hide a smile. She couldn't really be angry about it, since she knew full well how ridiculous it sounded to be mad at someone for being nice to her.

Stupid monkey. 

Gou had fewer reservations about O-ne, Hideyoshi's wife. She had already met and liked O-ne from the time they had met while visiting Azuchi Castle. Chacha and Hatsu took an immediate liking to her, too. She was beautiful and kind, and she greeted them warmly, promising to look after them like her own daughters. 

She was much too good for Saru, and Gou still didn't know how they had wound up together, but as O-ne had told her at Azuchi, sometimes one didn't need a reason to love another person. That still made no sense at all to Gou, but O-ne had just smiled and said that she would understand when she was older.

Once they were settled in the castle, Maa returned to her family. They parted with tears and hugs and promises to write. "I'll ask my father to bring me to visit you sometime," she said, giving Gou one final hug. "And try not to hate Uncle Hideyoshi too much. He's really not a bad person when you get to know him."

Gou grudgingly had to admit that Hideyoshi treated them well, although that didn't make her like him any better. He gave them luxurious rooms in his castle, and beautiful kimono to replace the ones they had lost in the fire at Kitanosho. Anything they wanted, they had only to ask for, including as many sweets as Hatsu could eat. 

"Are you seriously going to accept the monkey's bribes?" Gou asked her sister in disgust.

Hatsu shrugged and popped a rice cake into her mouth. "I don't like him anymore than you do," she said with her mouth full, the words coming out slightly garbled. "But there's no point in starving ourselves or wasting good food."

"I highly doubt you're in danger of starving," Gou said dryly.

She looked over to her eldest sister for support, but Chacha was feeding the pet songbird that Hideyoshi had given them. It twittered cheerily enough, but Gou felt sorry for the imprisoned bird.

"We are just like you--birds trapped in a gilded cage," she sighed. 

Chacha looked up and said, "You're being overly dramatic, Gou."

Before she could argue further with her sisters, a familiar voice called out, "Hello."

"Maa!" Gou exclaimed, running towards the other girl and embracing her so enthusiastically that she almost knocked Maa over.

"I'm happy to see you too, Gou," Maa laughed.

Gou's sisters came over to greet her as well. "I didn't expect to see you again so soon," Chacha said. "Are you visiting the castle with your father?"

"My father is here to pledge his allegiance to Uncle Hideyoshi," Maa replied. "But I am not visiting--I will be here living with you again."

"What?" Gou exclaimed. "Why?"

"I am a hostage again," Maa said cheerfully. "Don't worry, Gou, it really is just a formality this time. Father and Uncle are good friends in spite of everything that's happened, so I'm in no danger."

"Well, I'm sorry that you have to leave your family again so soon, but I'm glad we'll get to live together again," Gou admitted. She felt guilty for being so happy, but she was overjoyed to see her foster sister when she felt so lost living in a new place while grieving for her parents.

Then she saw a small face peeking out from behind Maa. "And who is this?" Gou asked.

"Don't be afraid," Maa said, gently coaxing a young girl to come forward. She couldn't be more than about five or six, and she looked frightened and lost. "This is Natsu, the daughter of Sassa Narimasa, who is a friend of my father. She will be staying here as a hostage as well."

"How can that monkey force such a young child to be a hostage?" Gou said indignantly, but instantly regretted it when the girl cringed away, clinging to Maa's skirts. "I'm sorry," she said in a gentler voice, kneeling down to be at eye level with Natsu. "I'm not angry with you. My name is Gou, and these are my sisters Chacha and Hatsu. Will you be friends with us?"

Natsu looked up at Maa, who smiled and nodded reassuringly. "I lived with them for a year at Kitanosho. They are like sisters to me, and I'm sure they will soon be good friends with you, too."

For once, Gou was grateful for Hideyoshi's generosity. "We have some sweets, too many for us to eat by ourselves. Will you help us finish them?" 

Natsu's face brightened up just a little when she saw the platters of sweets that were laid out, and she nodded shyly. Gou held out her hand, and the younger girl placed her hand trustingly in Gou's. 

"We'll have some sweets, and then maybe we can play some games," Gou said. "Would you like that?" Natsu nodded again and let Gou lead her towards the sweets. "I've always been the youngest," Gou continued. "So now I'm happy to finally have a little sister of my own!"

Natsu giggled and Gou smiled at her, while her sisters and Maa smiled approvingly. Gou still couldn't forgive Hideyoshi, but it was time to stop feeling sorry for herself and make the best of her new life. She had lost her mother, but she still had people who loved and needed her. 

Natsu smiled up at her trustingly, and for the first time since her mother had died, Gou felt a sense of hope.

**Author's Note:**

> My usual rambling notes about the writing process and the canons; feel free to skip them if you want:
> 
>  _Toshiie to Matsu_ was the first taiga drama I ever watched and it made a big impression on me and got me interested in Japanese history. I've watched many other historical dramas since, but I have a special fondness for that one and its characters. 
> 
> I was intrigued by Maa even though she had a relatively small role in the series because of the way she freely offered herself up as a hostage for the sake of her family, and later as a concubine to Hideyoshi. 
> 
> Several years later I watched _Gou_ , which covers the same time period from the viewpoint of different characters, and I was disappointed that Maa didn't appear and interact with Oichi's daughters during the time that they would have been living together at Kitanosho with Katsuie and later at Osaka Castle with Hideyoshi. (She does in _Toshiie_ , but it's only briefly shown.) I liked to imagine them becoming friends, but things might have become tense and awkward later when Chacha and Maa both become concubines and possibly rivals for Hideyoshi's affections.
> 
> I've been imagining scenarios for years, so I finally decided to write a crossover for this year's challenge. It was difficult to decide how to write Chacha, who is portrayed completely differently in the two dramas, so I tried to take aspects of both. She's more like the Chacha from _Gou_ , since her character is more central to the storyline there, but the speech she gives supporting Oichi's decision to die with Katsuie comes from _Toshiie to Matsu_. She's more self-centered and shallow in that series, but when I rewatched that episode, it gave her more depth than I remembered her having.
> 
> It's been years since I saw either drama, so I had rely on a combination of plot summaries, unsubbed videos and my sketchy grasp of Japanese, and my fuzzy memory of watching the original subbed episodes on tv. I also took some inspiration from the chapters in Eiji Yoshikawa's novel _Taiko_ that cover the story of Oichi and her daughters. 
> 
> I really wanted to write about Maa and Chacha becoming concubines and about Gou meeting the other Gou (since Hideyoshi's adopted daughter doesn't appear in _Gou_ ), but unfortunately I didn't have time for that. But I did have fun writing about Maa and Gou meeting and becoming friends! I'll have to add the unwritten future fic to my ever-growing list of sequels I need to write.


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